Thousands of people gathered March 26 to “March for Marriage” on the National Mall to defend traditional marriage and families as the Supreme Court decided whether to upheld California’s prop 8. The diverse group carried signs that read “1 Man + 1 Woman= Marriage,” and “Every Child Deserves a Mom & Dad.”

The march ended in a rally in front of the Washington Monument, where religious leaders, political speakers and leaders gave impassioned speeches in defense of marriage.

The crowd was filled with a wide selection of Hispanic and Asian supporters; along with African-Americans, whites, the young and old.

By contrast, counter-protestors were nearly all young and white. The counter-protestors for “marriage equality” also gathered on the sidelines with rainbow flags and signs that read, “Marriage is Love, Commitment, Family,” and “Marriage is a Constitutional Right.”

The broadcast outlets were silent on the event, choosing not to cover a march of thousands of people on the Supreme Court.

The focus of the event was was to promote the positive effects the traditional family has on society. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone spoke of the motivation behind the march: “To grow up without a father or a mother is always a deprivation. So this is not discrimination. On the contrary, marriage benefits everyone. It benefits those who are not married, and it benefits those who disagree with us on this issue.”

In the past, media outlets have called supporters of traditional marriage “anti-gay marriage protestors.” The participants said that though they were against gay marriage, they did not hate gay people.

The archbishop echoed this sentiment saying the issue is not about hate. “We love you, we are your neighbors, and we want to be your friends, and we want you to be happy. Please understand that we don't hate you, and that we are not motivated by animus or bigotry; it is not our intention to offend anyone, and if we have, I apologize; please try to listen to us fairly, and calmly, and try to understand us and our position, as we will try to do the same for you,” he explained.

While CNN and other liberal news spread the idea that those against gay marriage do not know any gay people personally, every person the Culture and Media Institute interviewed at the march admitted to having gay friends and family members. One man remarked that he had a bisexual daughter. Yet the attitude of everyone interviewed was also caring towards homosexuals. By contrast, they and the major speakers proclaimed the opposite: “God loves homosexuals.”